State Accounting FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions - General

How do I contact State Accounting?

Contact State Accounting by calling (614) 466-6674.

What is OAKS?

OAKS is the Ohio Administrative Knowledge System and is the state's official book of record. It is used by state agencies and state supported colleges and universities to process and capture information about financial transactions.

Does State Accounting have a policy manual?

Yes. State Accounting has a policy manual that can provide information about ...

OBM's State Accounting division offers this type of information in the Ohio Financials Process Manual. The manual is divided into sections to provide easy access to the topics you need. Some information, such as the listing of account codes, has been packaged as an appendix to serve as a convenient reference tool.

Frequently Asked Questions - Business

Vendors must submit a proper invoice in order to be paid for goods or services rendered. A proper invoice includes:

The vendor's name,

Address,

Date work was performed or the delivery date,

Itemization of the work done, materials supplied, or labor furnished, and

The sum due pursuant to the contract or obligation.

The invoice must be on company letterhead paper and be billed to the agency that received the service.

How long will it take to process a payment?

Payments are required to be paid 30 days after the receipt of good invoice.

If I receive a payment from the state, how can I tell what it's for?

Many large and small businesses do business with the state of Ohio and may receive many payments from different divisions within state government. The State Auditor issues payments in either paper or electronic fund transfer (EFT) format. Every payment will include full remittance information, including:

Agency 3-digit identifier in the Ohio's Central Accounting System (CAS)

Vendor name, tax identification number, and address

Batch number

Voucher number

Vendor number

Warrant number

Warrant issue date

Remittance information up to 80 characters used to identify invoice number, etc.

Agency staff may enter invoice numbers, invoice dates, or a written description of the payment, e.g., 'Inv. 12345678 of 10/4/04 for services at 123 Oak St.'

Do I have to complete an IRS Form W-9 in order to receive payment from the state of Ohio?

Yes. In order to register as a vendor and do business with the state of Ohio, a W-9 form, along with a New Vendor Information Form, is required. Instructions for obtaining and completing these forms should be provided by the Agency within the state which anticipates doing business with and making payments to you.

State Agencies can find processes and procedures in the Financials Process Manual on the FIN Home page of MyOhio.

I've changed my personal or business information (name, address, tax identification number), have acquired or sold my business, am doing business as another entity, etc. How do I update the information in the state of Ohio's vendor database?

In order to complete changes to existing information in the Ohio vendor database, vendors can obtain forms and instructions by contacting the Agency within the state of Ohio to which goods and/or services are being provided and payments are initiated.

Vendor Maintenance related questions and/or concerns can be directed to Ohio Shared Services at ohiosharedservices@ohio.gov or 614-338-4781 or 1.877.OHIOSS1 (1.877.644.6771)

State Agencies can find vendor maintenance information and instructions regarding changes to existing vendors in the state of Ohio Financial Process Manual on the OBM Web site at: